Arielle Bouhadana
Censorship Editor
During Hallel, we say “מן המצר קראתי י-ה״" - "from a narrow place of constraint I called out to You". The word מצרים has the root צר (narrow) in it. Mitzraim represents close-mindedness and refusal to grow. The mitzrim worshipped the sun, and אין חדש תחת השמש״”, "there is nothing new under the sun". The sun cycle is always the same, sunrise sunset, again and again. It’s stagnant and constant, representing their narrow state of minds and refusal to grow.
While the Jews were in Egypt, they were physically constrained by their slavery, but they were in a close-minded Galut mentality as well, engulfed by their captors.
It is only once Hashem commanded us to follow the mitzvah of Kedushat Hachodesh, celebrating Rosh Chodesh, that our mentality began to shift. Being that this is the first mitzvah we received as a nation, it bears a significant message. The moon cycle is constantly renewing itself and finds itself at a different stage each day of the month. Unlike the Mitzrim, we are always looking to grow and become better people through trial and error. We were only able to break our restricting Galut mentality once Hashem took us out of Mitzraim.
Just like the moon renews itself, so too should we. Pesach itself is a time for us to renew our emunah, seeing all that Hashem has done for us and continues to do for us everyday.
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!
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